PC and MacFarlane -- what did you expect?

Wednesday

Feb 27, 2013 at 6:00 AM

Liz Smith

‘I’m a sinner,” reads the famous black T-shirt from Madonna’s recent “MDNA” concert tour. On the back, it reminds us that we are all sinners.

I have been thinking about this since all the hoorah surrounding Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to retire and the coming gathering in the Vatican to choose a new pope. I’ve decided that throughout history, one controversy after another, the Catholic Church seems to have made a lot of poor, sometimes disastrous decisions and had to be forgiven for them. Its history is far from perfect, although, perhaps, its civilizing force during the Renaissance and the good works the Church does all over the world somehow make up for it.

I see that Elmore Leonard, one of my favorite novelists, suggested in The New York Times last Sunday that you don’t have to be a cardinal to lead the church. Why not a nun in heels? (Mr. Leonard grew up in the church, taught by Jesuits.) It wouldn’t be a bad idea if the cardinals’ meeting considered this advice.

I’d personally like to see New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan as the next pope. He is young, a vigorous 63, has a grand sense of humor and a lot of persuading charm. He seems to usually be laughing and urging nonbelievers to join him. He puts a realistic face on things. Not that it will ever happen.

Maybe a pope like the American cardinal could help change all that by bringing a modern aspect to the Vatican. For one thing, doesn’t the Church need to dispense with some of the pomposity? Not to forget the absurd man-made strictures about celibacy that only lead to trouble.

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Seth MacFarlane gave ABC’s Oscar telecast a million more viewers this year. Despite Seth indicating that his hosting stint was a one-time-only thing, I bet he’s being wooed right now to reprise his act next year.

From the New York Post’s movie critic, Kyle Smith, to The New York Times, people are trashing the Academy Awards show. Though comic turns are allowed some leeway, there are always the totally “politically correct” types who must protest.

The Times notes Jewish organizations that felt they were held up to ridicule, and women who protested the “We Saw Your Boobs” musical tribute to onscreen nudity, which named actresses from Meryl Streep on down.

But slightly salacious wisecracks are endemic in popular culture. As noted above, the Oscars cast was a ratings hit and should be allowed its hits and errors if we want the telecasts to be continued.